On Saturday Kelli and I hung out at an auction waiting for Ila to call so we could come and meet her. Â I had been eyeing a box of sewing things hoping they might get to it before I left. Â They didn’t so I went and found Hubby at the auction and told him I wanted the box. Â He asked me how much I was willing to pay for it. Â I said…oh $20 would be plenty. Â It wasn’t anything I had to have or way even really wanting…I just thought it would be fun.
Well he did get it so when I got home I started sorting…the box was HUGE! Â Everything was all in this box and Hubby paid $25. Â I quickly sorted out the things I didn’t want….This was all old patterns and crochet thread. Â I did save a couple patterns that I might use for decor.
This was a part of the box that had caught my eye.
Inside the cardboard box were lots of little tins. Â They are so cute. Â I especially liked the safety pin containers. Â I just planned to use them as decor.
I was also interested in the thread holders…for decor again…
The thing that really sparked my interest was the picnic basket tin. Â I knew it was full on embroidery patterns. Â I just love embroidery…even if I don’t do it much anymore. Â Days of the week motifs are my favorite. Â Have you seen all the cute ones my friend Michelle has been doing?
I was so excited..imagine a whole picnic basket worth of embroidery transfers?!?!?! Â But then my excitement ended when I got to the bottom and found more patterns. Â UGH!
That’s the nature of auctions though. Â You never really know what you have until you bring it home and sort it all out.
I have a pile for Kelli…one for Kayla…one for Goodwill and one for me! Â All in all-even though there were patterns in the bottom of the tin, I am still happy with the purchase. Â There were lots of wooden spools in the cardboard box. Â Does anyone have any good ideas of something to do with them?
Today I am hooking up with Colorado Lady’s Vintage Thursday.
A friend strings bobbins with beads for decoration.
The thread holders you referred to are poker chip holders. As for spools of thread they look neat in gallon jars like pickle jars as decoration or turn the gallon jar into lamps with the spools in them. String them for garlands, glue them to grape vine wreaths for decorations. I have seen them turned into small pin cushions with a padded top glued on. Just a few ideas.
Hello, if you’ve got loads, turn the wooden spools into a set of shelves!
Example here:http://larbracigogne.blogspot.fr/2011/09/etagere-bobines.html
Very popular over here in France to display sewing-related items but hard to find! They are mostly from the early 20th century, I believe.
Try “etagere bobines” in google images for more inspiration.
I store vintage buttons, wooden spools, valdani thread, hexies and other such things on a buffet in various size mason jars. It’s practical, easy and makes me smile when I look at them.
Hi Jo,
I love it all. Could frame some of the old patterns not keeping. I paint the wooden spools into snowmen and hang on tree. Pinterest has lots of ideas. I think you got your moneys worth. I stared hand embroidery when I was 12.Mom taught me, ,using the free dish towel in box of Duz laundry soap. Okay I’m dating myself now. I do counted cross stitch and machine embroidery now.
I have a small lamp made from a quart jar with wooden spools in it and the shade is a handmade paper stock. Got it at a craft fair 25 years ago and I still love it. It has a zinc lid that was drilled to put the lamp parts into. Bet your hubby could make you one! It would look awesome in your sewing room.
The plaid tin alone is probably worth the money.
Jo, I use old patterns for tissue paper! They spruce up a gift bag nicely:)
I have two old jars filled with wooden spools of thread. I keep them in my quilting room and love to look at them.
When cleaning out my mother’s house I took all the old wooden spools from her sew box. I had a large blue Ball jar that had been given me by my aunt long ago (I don’t can) and I put the spools in there. At an antique store I bought a “kit” for lighting and elsewhere a lampshade and I have the spool lamp on the counter in my kitchen. I say hello to mom every day when I walk in there to start the day.
I love to look at old patterns! I have gotten rid of the ones I knew I’d never use, but the pictures on the envelopes look so neat that I saved some just for that.
I would love to see all the patterns laid out so I could look through the pictures once. THEN you could send them off to Goodwill or use for tissue paper wrapping, etc.